The Deadpod

A wonderful second set to celebrate the start of the Days Between on this week's Deadpod from 6/11/76 Boston Music Hall.  What a way to open a set! St. Stephen!  They step it up even more by following that with a unique jam into  'Dancing In the Streets' into 'The Music never Stopped.. As you might notice there is no real drums or space in this second set, but an abundance of great tunes and fine...

The laid back rhythms of '76 make for a perfect compliment to the hot weather as we explore a wonderful show from June 11th, 1976 at the Boston Music Hall in Boston MA. A very clean recording and sweet solos by Garcia highlight this set.  Love the pace of this Tennessee Jed.. Big River will definitely get you up after a sweet and sleepy Candyman.. you'll feel the power building in the Scarlet as t...

This week's Deadpod features the second set from the beautiful Greek Theater in Berkeley CA that was performed back on July 13th, 1984. While this show is most famous for the 'Dark Star' encore (preceded by a shooting star), the set itself is quite solid with some outstanding performances for the year. They begin with a 'Scarlet>Touch>Fire' that is high energy and punctuated by some great work by...

On this Friday the 13th I decided to bring you probably one of the most famous Friday the 13th shows the Grateful Dead performed - this one from Friday, July 13, 1984 at the Greek Theater in Berkeley CA. While the show is justifiably famous for the appearance of Dark Star in the 2nd set; I'm completionist enough to include the 1st set this week. All in all, this is a good 1st set and a fine exampl...

For your post-July 4th enjoyment the Deadpod brings you the 2nd set from the Jai-Alai Fronton in Miami Florida on June 22nd, 1974. One of the great 'wall of sound' shows, this second set starts out strong with a wonderful 'China Cat Sunflower' into 'I Know You Rider'. A tight 'Me & My Uncle' and 'Ship of Fools' follow. The 'El Paso' is surprisingly hot. Then a long jammy 'Eyes of the World' op...

A year ago I played what many would consider the 'big brother' to this week's Deadpod selection - 6/23/74. This week I'm going to begin to feature the night before - 6/22/74 Miami Florida. This band may stumble on occasion here.. the levels take a bit to get 'just exactly perfect', but remember it was a 'wall of sound' show, and overall this is a great recording. The first set which we will hear t...

Happy Summer everyone!   This second set from May 11th, 1980 is really a classic set list with a powerhouse pre-drums set and a rare set-closing Johnny B. Goode.. I would've loved to have seen this one! Bet the place was rockin' after the Black Peter as well! Another example of 'never miss a Sunday show'!   Grateful Dead Cumberland County Civic Center Portland, ME 5/11/80 - Sunday Two Scarlet Bego...

The band was on a roll not only during May of '77 but also during May of 1980 so I decided to bring you this smoker of a show from that month, 38 years ago. This one comes from Portland Maine on May 11th, 1980. This one gets up and roaring with a hot 'Alabama Getaway' into 'Promised Land'. Garcia's voice is great on 'They Love Each Other' which follows and throughout. The only flaw here for me is...

This week's Deadpod features a very nice second set from Deer Creek Music Theater in Nobelsville Indiana on June 6th, 1991. The set starts with China>Rider, which, after a bit of a warm up moves along very smartly. While this is most definitely a 90s sound, there is enough great Garcia licks (as well as a great 'headlight on a northbound train'  to please, I think. The band are definitely function...

As we head into June and the Summer concert season I decided to bring you a show from one of the favorite venues for summertime Dead - the Deer Creek Music Theater in Nobelsville Indiana, from June 6, 1991. I like the balance on this recording - everyone's sound  seems well blended and no keyboards overpower the music. The 'Jack Straw' opener is especially bright and snappy..  other favorites for...

What a great set to share with you on this holiday weekend! This week we get to hear the third set from the band's performance on May 20th, 1973 at Santa Barbara California. The set starts out with a fine 'Truckin'.. but the magic starts right after that,  first in an exquisite jam out of Trucking, then, a 'Nobody's Fault' jam. I recommend letting the music take you where it will beyond this point...

This week's Deadpod continues with the second set of the band's performance back on May 20th, 1973 at UC-Santa Barbara, CA. While this set appears more like a 'first' set setlist, but the playing is spectacular throughout. 'Big Railroad Blues' is always a keeper and these early 'Here Comes Sunshines' are spectacular.   Grateful Dead Campus Stadium - University Of California Santa Barbara, CA 5/20/...

This wasn't the show I'd planned on presenting this week.. I thought oh this was too long.. but after listening to what I had prepared, and listening to this again, well, it was no choice.. so from the great year of 1973, we bring you the band's performance from May 20th, 1973 at Santa Barbra California.. Now this isn't your typical 2 1/2 hour show.. this one is going to stretch out for probably 3...

This wasn't the show I'd planned on presenting this week.. I thought oh this was too long.. but after listening to what I had prepared, and listening to this again, well, it was no choice.. so from the great year of 1973, we bring you the band's performance from May 20th, 1973 at Santa Barbra California.. Now this isn't your typical 2 1/2 hour show.. this one is going to stretch out for probably 3...

We open the month of May here on the Deadpod with a great second set from 1977, as we continue our presentation of April 23rd, 1977 at the Springfield Civic Center Arena in Springfield MA. This set starts with the famous 'take a step back' exhortation to the crowd, but the band fires things up most excellently with a very tight 'Estimated Prophet'. Not only are the harmonies great here but Jerry h...

Well as we ease out of April it seems like a great idea to bring you s show from 1977... I have always tried to feature a show from that stupendous month of May '77, but all of those have either been featured already or commercially released, so I decided to go with this relatively unknown but excellent show from April 23rd, 1977 in Springfield MA. The show has an easy mellow feel to it, reminisce...

Happy 4/20!    This week's Deadpod features the 2nd set from the band's performance on April 15th at the college of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. I think you'll enjoy this one, as it continues the fine recording of set 1, with some strong playing as well. I'm especially enamored of the 'Playin' in the Band' and an unusually long and jamming 'Not Fade Away'. 'Morning Dew' follows, a song th...

This week's Deadpod features a fine show from the great Spring tour of 1978. This one starts off with a wonderful 'Mississippi Half-Step' -love Jerry's enthusiasm here! 'Passenger' follows - a song that I always enjoyed as a real rocker in the band's repertoire. A nice 'Friend of the Devil' follows, then stand  alone 'El Paso'. 'Brown Eyed Women' is always a treat, and is followed by a long and ni...

This week's Deadpod features the 2nd set from the band's March 30th, 1987 performance at the Spectrum in Philadelphia PA. In general, while Jerry's vocals may not be top-notch, his playing throughout is. We start out with a bouncy 'Iko,Iko', always flavored with Brent's tasty keyboards. A somewhat unique stand-alone 'Saint of Circumstance' follows and  flows into one of the highlights here, a long...

This week we go back 30 years to one of the boy's shows from the Spring tour of 1987. This took place at one of their favorite venues - the Spectrum in Philadelphia PA on March 30th, 1987. While this first set is rather short, I think you'll enjoy Garcia's enthusiasm on this set, besides who doesn't love a good Shakedown opener?      Grateful Dead - March 30, 1987 The Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA S...

Hello Friends! I have to tell you, the ol' Professor has not had a great week.. been down with an awful case of the flu since last saturday night, which forced me to cancel a trip I had planned to the great Southwest :( However my week was brightened by a very sweet note and donation from Stephen and Kristi of New York City (who are dealing with their own nasty weather problems this week). Thanks...

This week we go back to the start of a legendary run that took place in the Spring of 1972, in New York City at the Academy of Music on March 21st. Off and on there are a few sonic problems with the tape - Garcia's vocals are buried in the opening 'Bertha' and there is a hum here and there, but overall well worth a listen. Garcia is on fire throughout and while some of the songs are still being de...

You've probably heard that Phil Lesh and Bob Weir have been playing some wonderful 'duo' shows together this month.. while I'm still contemplating playing one of the audience tapes of one of these gems, I decided to bring you another 'Phil & Friends' acoustic show that started the genre - this took place back on September 24th, 1994 at the Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley CA, a benefit f...

March will come in like a lion for us with the second set from the band's performance at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles CA from February 11th, 1989. We are treated right off to a superb China>Rider, with a very nice jam into Rider. I love hearing Brett here.. what better song to bring in March than 'I Know You Rider'? and Jerry sells that 'northbound train' line :) . 'Man Smart, Woman S...

This week's Deadpod features the first set from the band's performance on February 11th, 1989 in Los Angeles, CA. I love the opener, Mississipi Half-Step, and Jerry doesn't let me down here.. 'across.... the lazy river.. :) An energetic Minglewood follows, then a lovely 'Candyman'.. I love the color that Brent added here, but no one sounds like Jerry on this. Next a rockin' 'Big River', followed b...